The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-07-09


splendor and pageantry of those kings,
queens, princes, eayls, dukes, ETC. The
men who subscribed their names to the
Declaration OF Independence at Phila-
delphia, July 4. 1916, were no titled ar
istocrats, but belonged 10 the common
people and were leaders by reason Of
their intellectual and executive abilities
and not because 81 the accident 81 birth.
They had grown up amid rugged sur
roundines and had been trained 20 self
reliance and boldness OF action by the
difficulties and dangers which always ac-
company pioneer life. They felt that
they were the equals Of any one so long
~ their conduct did not infringe ON the
rights OF others and their fullest sym
patty being with men situated like them
selves, ii followed necessarily that the
form OF government which they devised
would be intended 10 give every person
living under IL the best possible chance
for obtaining 10 their fullest extent those
Godgiven rights, ''liie, liberty and pur-
suit OF happiness" Just how best 10
produce this result was subject ofgrave
and lengthy discussion. Havingformally
declared themselves independent ofGreat
Britain the next mostnatural thing 20 do
would be for the colonies TO unite them
selves into one compact political mass
for the common good Of all. Therefore,
on July %, 1776, there was introduced
into congress what was called ARTICLES
OF confederation" by which the name Of
the new republic was fixed and the terms
OF the compact definitely laid down.
Strange as it may seem To us those ar
ticles were debated by congress from day
TO day ard from time 20 time for two
years when they ratified by ten states
out OF the original thirteen. New Jersy
came i'm November &c, 1878, Delaware
following in February 23, 1879, while
Maryland held off for nearly five years,
only giving in her adhesion To the con-
fedora ton March i, 1871. Thus we
have the singular spectacle OF little
handful Of people scattered along the At
lantic coast Of North America carrying
|
nation aud wrangling among themselves
over the foundation stones which should
be put under the new government. One
thing they seemed TO agree on quite thor
oughly, which was, that they proposed
| TO manage their own oifairs i'm their own
way without any Interference from
across the sea. The new government
WIS i'm chaotic condition, its functions
being administered by board OF direct
ors called congress-. The new coniedra-
tion was named by the "articles" the
"Tnitcd states of America" The war
was carried TO victorious result and
the United States Of America was reluc-
family admitted TO place among the
nations OF the earth some years before
IL had n constitution or n separate ex-
ceutive department. The original con
stitution was adopted September II,
\ 1878, by "a convention Of delegates APP
pointed by the several states for thcpur-
pose OF framing such IA document and
which met in the city of Philadelphia
This constitution was ratified by three
Of the states during the same year, by
eight more during the following year, by
North Carolina in November, 1889, and
by Rhode Island in May, 1890. Before
its ratification by all the states. ten
amendments were proposed To IL which
were ratified by proper number OF
states in 1871. Since then various other
amendments have been added at differ
ent times. Ii was not until April 30
1889, that we had ~ president, nearly
thirteen years after the adoption of the
Declaration Of Independence. From that
date our government has been i'm the
form Ca which we have been accustomed.
Thus slowly and deliberately did the
patriots lay the foundation ON which
has been reared a political fabric which
challenges the wonder and admira-
ton OF the world. The corner stone was
laid on the day whose anniversary we
now celebrate. Looking back over the
pages OF history we can hardly realize
how small n portion OF that territory
over which the stars and stripes now
/ float was then known 90 the white race.
1 The wonderful achievements Of our first
century of growth are taught yearly TO
millions Of children and are blazoned on
/ the pages 81 countless newspapers. In
+ the hurry and rush OF the present day
we seldom pause To think OF how're come